Dec. 27, 1955 a. J. CRAIG AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK Filed Feb. 13. 1953 United States Patent O AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK Burnie J. Craig, Pasadena, Calif. Application February 13, 1953, Serial No. 336,844 12 Claims. (Cl. 70-149) This invention relates to a latch and the general object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle latch which is particularly adapted for use on the door of an automotive vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide door latching means including a novel latch bolt.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bolt having spaced novel strike engaging tongues thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bolt operating device for use in a door latch assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novelly mounted latch bolt.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel latch bolt strike.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel strike and dovetail for use with a latch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a latch bolt locking means wherein a push button actuated key lock member is employed.

A further object of the invention s to provide a vehicle door latch which includes novel means for operating a door latch to release position and wherein novel means is employed to permit keyless locking.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through the door of an automotive vehicle and pillar, with parts in elevation and showing the improved latch;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the inside release device.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the latch device is indicated generally at 10. As shown, the construction includes a base 11, which is adapted to be secured to the free end 12 of a door by fastening members 13. The base supports a pivot or shaft 14 which pivotally mounts a bolt 15 for movement about an axis which is perpendicular to the free end of the door. A spring 16 normally urges the bolt about the axis of the shaft 14 to strike engaging position.

The bolt 15 may be a metal stamping, although if desired it may be made of plastic or may be die cast.

The base 11 is provided with a pair of arcuate slots 17 and 1S. The bolt 15 includes a body portion which is disposed on one side of the base. The body portion of the bolt 15 has bent over tongues 19 and 20 which project through the slots 17 and 1S and also through similar slots in the free end 12 of the door so that they project beyond the door end for engagement with a strike indicated generally at 21.

The strike may be made of-suitable material and may be a die casting. As shown, the strike includes a ba'se 22, which has an upper rim portion 23, an end reinforcing rim 24 and a bottom reinforcing rirn 25.V

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The strike includes faces or shoulders 26 and 27, which are engageable by the tongues 19 and 20 on the bolt. The slots 17 and 18, the tongues 19 and 20 and the shoulders 26 and 27 are all formed to substantially the same curvature with the center of curvature disposed substantially at the axis of the pivot 14.

The strike includes a planar face 28 which is slidably engaged by a dovetail wedge 29. A pin 30 engaging the rim portions 23 and 24 slidably supports the dovetail wedge and a spring 31 normally urges the dovetail wedge to engaged position, as shown rin Fig. 3.

The dovetail wedge 29 has an inclined face 32, which engages a matching face 33 on a dovetail 34. The dovetail 34 has a lower face 35 which engages a similar face 36 on the lower rim 25.

The dovetail 34 has prongs 37 which extend into slots 37 in the base 11 and are riveted over to hold the dovetail on the base 11. The end 12 of the door has a slot through which'the dovetail 34 projects. The pivot pin 14 extends through a hole 38 in the dovetaill and this pin 14 is secured as by riveting as at 38 so that the dovetail is firmly held in place. The construction also provides a relatively long support for the pin 14 so that the latter is held rmly in place and a strong support for the bolt 15 is provided. The bolt 15 includes portionsv 15 and 15 at the sides of the tongues 19 and 20. The portions 15 and 15" are disposed over the slots 17 and 18.

In order to move the vbolt 15 from the strike engaging position shown in Fig. 1, an operating member 40 is arranged on thev base 11 and is provided with a plurality of slots 41 which receive headed pins 42 secured to the base 11 so that the operating member 40 may reciprocate. A spring 42 secured to the pin 13 normally urges the operating member to the left in Fig. 1.

The operating member is moved to the right in Fig. l by engagement of a core member 43 with a tongue 44 bent up from the operating member 40. The core member 43 is part of a release member shown as a push button operated lock device 45 which is mounted in a support 46 to which a'door handle such as shown in the appli# cants prior application Serial No. 201,284, tiled December 18, 1950, may be secured. The core member 43 is of conventional construction and may b e `turned in either direction by the key 47. After the member 43 has been turned it must be brought back to the Vnormal intermediate position shown in Fig. 1 beforeuthe key can be withdrawn.

The construction is such that when .the key 47 isinserted and is turned through 90 in either direction, it will turn the core 43 and will shift an eccentrically arranged locking pin 48 carried by the core either clockwise or anti-clockwise through an angle of 90. Also, when the push button portion 49 is pushed inwardly against the tension of a spring 50, it will move the core 43 inwardly Icausing the end of the core to engage the tongue 44 to thereby move the operating member 40 to the right in Fig. 1.

An actuating member 51 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 52 disposed upon the operating member 40. At one end'the actuating member has a reduced tongue 53 which extends through a slot 54 in a flange 55 which is bent up from the operating member 40.

v A snapover spring 60 arranged under an embossed portion 61 and engaging the actuating member 51 and the operating member 40 serves to releasably maintain the actuating member with the tongue53 disposed at either the top or the bottom ofthgeslot 54.

At the end remote" fromgthe tongue 53 the actuating member has a slot 56 an'd ha'sf'upwardly directed tongues` 57 and 58 at each side otftlie'fslot. When the parts are in the position shown" in Fig. l, which is the unlocked position of the actuating member, the locking pin 48 will be disposed adjacent the4 upper tongue 57and` willv be' releasably held in this position'v by the snapover spring 60.

When the;.key.47 is rotatedtso that. the.. pin. l-moves upwardly, this pin; wilL-.contact the..tongue ::7v and will. raise this tongue and will .causethe-.tongue 53 to move downwardlyto engagethebottom of the slot 54 in whichi position it will beheld. by the spring 60., AlfterV this is done and when the key 47 is turned to its normalposition the. pin 43. will bereturned. to the intermediate position of` Fig. l, where it-` willbe adjacent to the tongue 58 and.theactuatingmemberwill be.. in .thelocked por4` sition as will be later understood..

To provide means whereby` the actuating member, when in unlocl ed .position,. will release...thegb9lt 15, the latter is, provided with an integral arm` 6.1,. which is shown` as downwardly directed and Whichis raised .by a stepped.

portion 62 so that it is disposed over theactuating mem? ber51.

The arm` 61. is provided.. with a cutawayportion: 63 which includes a shoulder 64v adapted to be engaged by a tongue 65. bent up from the actuatingmember S1, andthetconstruction is such that when the parts are in the position .shown in Fig. 1, and the. push button 49 is pushed inwardly. the.core. 43 will move inwardly andwill engage the tongue 44 on the` operating member 40. caus-l ing the operating member to advance, carrying the pivot S2 therewith and carrying the actuating member 51 and the pin 65 on the actuating memberinto engagement with theshoulder 64! to thus rock the arm 61. and move the bolt V1S so that the bolt tongues 19 and 29 clear the strike shoulders 26 and v217 to `thus move the boltto door releasing, position.

When the'actuatngmemher is' moved .to a downward. (locked)l position so that the pin. 6S is below the shout der 64, av movement which can be etectedzby the key 47 turning the core 43 and the `pin 48y downwardly or by downward movement of `a push button 66 disposed within the vehicle body and connectedto a push rod 67 which latter engages a tongue 68in the tongue 53. When the parts are in the-position last described torwardmove-- ment of the push button will causethe pin 65.A thereon to move in a slot 69 forming a part of the cutaway por,- tion 63 and the pin 65 willengage no part of the arm 61 so that, iherewill bel no. movement; of the arm' 61y and no unlatching movement of the bolt..

Thus it will be seen that .when thelock is .unlocked movement of theoutside push button will rock the bolt', but whenthe'. latch is in .locked position such movement. of the, push buttonwill not. releasethe bolt..

The lower end of the. artn- 61.hasa tongue 75thereon which moves in a slot 76 in the .tongue. 74-and is en gaged by the .free end 77 of the crank 72. When the. member 71 is pulled it will rock .the-.crank 72 so that the crank end 77 will move the tongue ZS. to zthe. right in Figs. 1 and 5, thcrebyroeking;the bolt to door releasing position.

In order to avoid .the unintentional lockingrof a' doorl when it is 4shutwhile the latch is inlocked position, the cutaway portion63. includes .an .inclined `cam face 78 which` is angularly disposed. When` the .tongues 19- and on the .bolt rideoverthe' strikeand: are moved down-1 wardly'by the .strikein the .act .of .closingthe door .the arm.-61fswings,in an anticloclcwisedirection, thecam. 78 will raise the pin.6S.-thus-'liftingtheactuating. meme. ber to unlocked. position. i Y Y i Should an operator .desire to lock ;the. .doory they. latchis placedin lockedposition hypushing. down on the. push; button..66 'while thecndoor isgopene... The..push:1b\ltt0n.

49 is then pushed inwardly. This will move the pin 65 into the'portion 69 'of thev cutaway part 63. When theY door is closed and the bolt 15 is rocked to rock the cam 78, the cam 78 will not engage the pin 65 and there will be no movement of the pin and actuating member 51 to unlocked position, so that after the push button 49 has been released, the latch will remain in locked condition.

When the door-is moved to closedposition the tongue 19 of the bolt will be moved downwardly by engagement with the curved portion 23C' of Ythe rim 23 and will be moved down, by this engagement; untilthepart 23' is passed whereupon the tongue 19 will move upwardly to engagethe shoulder Zllfinsafety locked position.

Further movement of the door to fully closed position will cause the tongue 19 to move along the portion 23 of the, ri1r 1 2 3 until b oth, tongues 19 and 2 0 arefree to move, to theposition Shownin Fig. 3. where the .tongne 19 engages `thes houl cler 26 and,thetongue 2 0 engages the shoulder 27.

This constructionprovides va safety latch. position f or the bolt when the do or is partly closed and, when; the 1 door.. Ais fully" closed. the1 construction proyidesspaced engagement areas for holding the doorcl0.Se d a I 1 d should, the materialjdetiningoneoi thes e arcas beaccidentally broken away there will still., be a remaining area of 6.11:.-

gagement so .that the likelihoodof accidental door. opening is reduced.

In the described construction, dueto thetact that, the actuating member which is moved ;to releasethe bolt directly engagesl the bolt in Athe. releasing operation,v a minimum number of partsis requiredinthe makingand assembly of the latch While'atthesame time a. rigid, securely `held and .readilyf released. latchv construction is provided.

Having thus describedthe invention, lclaim:

1. Infa door latch, a base, a. Shafton the base, a bolt pivotally mounted on theshaft andincludingan elongated body portion rdisposed on one side of the. b ase, and a dovetail disposedon theother side of thebase, said shaft engaging said dovetail.

2. Ina door lock, a bastata. shaftonithe base, a, b olt,

including a body portion pivotally' mounted on the shaft and disposed onone sideof the, base, a dovetail disposed on theY other side of thebase, said. shaft engaging said, dovetail, Saidbasehaving spaced slots therein, said bolt body portion having spaced segmental tongues thereon,` said tongues extending; through and: being movable insaid slots, means to advance thebolt to engaged position with thetongues-moyingin .theslots andfmeans to .move ythe bolt from engaged position.

including a bony.portion-pivotant:rneuntedion; the-.rhein agradar-tv and disposed on one side of the spaced segmental slots therein, the center of the curvature of the slots being substantialiy the axis of the shaft, said bolt body portion having spaced segmental tongues thereon, the center of curvature of said tongues being substantially the axis of the shaft, said tongues extending through and being movable in said slots, means to advance the bolt to engaged position with the tongues moving in the slots and means on the base to move the bolt from engaged position. i

6. In a door latch, a base, a shaft on the base, a bolt including a body portion pivotally mounted on the shaft and disposed on one side of the base, said base having radially spaced segmental slots therein, the center of the curvture of the slots being substantially the axis of the shaft, said bolt body portion having radially spaced segmental tongues thereon, the center of curvature of said tongues being substantially the axis of the shaft, said tongues extending through and being movable in said slots, means to advance the bolt to engaged position with the tongues moving in the slots, and a strike including a pair of radially spaced segmental shoulders, the shoulders having substantially the same center of curvature and the same radii as that of the tongues, said tongues engaging said shoulders when the bolt is in engaged position.

7. In a door latch, a base, a shaft on the base, a bolt including a body portion pivotally mounted on the shaft and disposed on one side of the base, a dovetail wedge disposed on the other side of the base, said shaft engaging said dovetail wedge, said base having radially spaced segmental slots therein, the center of the curvatureof the slots being substantially the axis of the shaft, said bolt body portion having radially spaced segmental tongues thereon, the center of curvature of said tongues being substantially the axis of the shaft, said tongues extending through and being movable in said slots, means to advance the bolt to engaged position with the tongues moving in the slots, a strike comprising a body of general triangularshape including a base having a rim extending across one side thereof, said rim including a pair of radially l'spaced segmental shoulders, the shoulders having the same center of curvature and the same radii as that of the tongues, said rim having a dovetail wedge engaging face, a dovetail wedge, means mounting the dovetail wedge for sliding movement across said face, spring means normally urging the dovetail wedge towards the shoulders, said base having a second rim at one end, said base having a third rim at the `side opposite to said first rim, said third rim having a face slidably engageable by a dovetail on a door.

8. A door securing device `comprising a body of general triangular shape including a base having a rim extending across one side thereof, said rim including a latch bolt engaging segmental shoulder, the said rim having-a dovetail Wedge engaging face, a dovetaillwedge, means mounting the dovetail wedge for sliding movement across said face, spring means normally urging the dovetail wedge towards the shoulder, said base having another rim at the side opposite to said first rim, said other rim having a face slidably engageable by a dovetail on a door.

9. A door securing device comprising a body of general triangular shape including a base and having a rim extending across one side thereof, said` rim including a pair of radially spaced segmental shoulders, the shoulders having the same center of curvature, said rim having a dovetail wedge engaging face, a dovetail wedge, means mounting the dovetail wedge for sliding movement across said face, spring means normally urging the dovetail wedge towards the shoulders, said base having a second rim at one end, said base having a third rim at the side opposite to said rst rim, said third rim having a face slidably engageable by a dovetail on a door.

10. In a door lock, a base, a bolt including a body having a strike engaging portion disposed on one side of said base, a shaft on the base supporting the bolt for pivotal movement to engaged position against a strike, an

base, said base having arm integral with and rigid with the'bolt body, said arm including a portion disposed on the other side of said base, said arm being adapted to rock said bolt to strike releasing position, means to hold the bolt in engagement with a strike, a shiftably mounted operating member, an actuating member, pivotal means supporting the actuating member on the operating member for bodily movement with the operating member and for A` swinging movement fromlocked to unlocked position independent of the operating member, lock operated meanslfor moving the actuating member to either of its two positions, releasable means to hold the actuating member in either of its two positions, said lock operated means including a push member, means including coacting parts on said actuating member and said bolt arm for moving the arm and rocking the bolt to releasing position when the push member is operated while the actuating member is in unlocked position, the coacting parts of said last means being ineiective to release the bolt when the push member is operated while the actuating member is in locked position, and manually operated means operable to move the actuating member from locked to unlocked position and vice versa.

11. In an automobile door lock, a substantially planar base adapted to be secured upon the end of a door, an elongated bolt, said bolt including a body portion disposed on one side of said base, means pivotally supporting said bolt body portion for movement about an axis which is perpendicular to the base so that the bolt body moves in a plane which is parallel to the base, said bolt body including a strike engaging part disposed on the other side of said base, means urging the bolt body towards strike engaging position, an arm integral with and rigid with the bolt body, said arm having a free end portion, said arm being adapted to rock the bolt body from strike engaging position, the arm being mountedv to move in a plane which is parallel to the plane 'of the base and is disposed on said one side of said base, an outside operated release member mounted on the base for movement in a plane parallel to the base to bolt releasing position, means on the release member engaging the arm for rocking the arm to move the bolt from strike engaging position when the release member is actuated and means to render the release means ineffective to free the bolt when the release member is actuated.

12. In an automobile door lock, a substantially planar base adapted to be secured upon the end of a door, an elongated bolt, said bolt including a body portion disposed on one side of said base, means pivotally supporting said bolt body portion for movement about an axis which is perpendicular to the base so that the bolt body moves in a plane which is parallel to the base, said bolt body including a strike engaging part disposed on the other `side of said base, means urging the bolt towards strike Yengaging position, an arm integral with and rigid with the bolt bodyxandangularly disposed with respect to the bolt body, said arm being movable with the bolt and .adapted to rock the bolt from strike engaging position,

the arm being movable in a plane which is parallel to the plane of the base and is disposed on said one side of the base, an outside operated release member mounted on the base for movement in a plane parallel to the base to bolt releasing position, means on the release member engaging the arm for rocking the arm to move the bolt from strike engaging position when the release member is actuated, locking means to render the release means inelfective to free the bolt when the release means is actuated, and restoring means including coacting parts on the release member-and on the arm and actuated by movement of the bolt upon a closing movement of the door, when the release member is in locked position, for restoring said release member to unlocked position.